Snow claims MoD tried to censor C4 film on Iraq war

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New allegations have emerged about Ministry of Defence attempts to gag journalists by pressuring them to drop footage from documentaries about the war in Iraq. And the degree to which journalists censored themselves in order to be allowed to continue covering the war has also come to light.

Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow told Press Gazette the MoD tried to censor a documentary he presented that included footage provided by the ministry itself.

His colleague, Channel 4 News diplomatic correspondent Lindsey Hilsum, has admitted to self-censorship in a bid to carry on reporting from Baghdad during the conflict.

Nearly three months after the outbreak of the war, a process of open reflection by journalists, broadcasters and other media organisations is beginning to shed light on how the conflict was reported.

The Institute of Policy Research, the Media Society, The Guardian and the Royal United Services have staged open forums and debates on the war coverage and a number of TV documentaries focusing on how the story of the conflict was, and continues to be, told have also been scheduled.

From these, several other stories about the role of the media in reporting the war are beginning to emerge.